Rosthohoho
by emmadotlouise
Summary: It's Midwinter and someone mysterious feels like bringing some cheer to the families of the Lower City. Crack ficlet involving the crew from the Beka Cooper series.
1. one

**AN: **mini ficlet series mixing a bit of western culture with the PD universe :)

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**Rosthohoho**

_emclar_

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Brown and white angels – mud, muck and snow – beauty – litter the pathways of the Lower City. Expressions; smiles, frowns, but mostly smiles are painted on the faces. This is Midwinter and the excitement, the passion, the _thrill_ of the chase is alive in the air. Kora breathes it in deeply, feeling it fill her lungs and flowing throughout her entire body. The Lower City has never looked more beautiful to her, and she appreciates it because it reminds her of Scanra, her home.

Scanra feels familiar to her; it's where she used to call home, except now Tortall is her home and she appreciates Tortall even more; for Rosto, for Aniki, for Beka and Fuzzball and the now gone Pounce. She knows that Beka mourns the loss of Pounce, knows she wishes he were around and so when Kora isn't busy blasting people in the morning when they try to wake her up – they are well used to ducking now and there is a hole in her door from one too many scorch marks (she needs to remember to make a fireproof charm to protect her room) – she tries to ply another cat onto Beka, hoping she will like it, even though Pounce was one of a kind and Kora knows this. But, still, she tries.

A flash of red catches her eye and she glances up to see who it is, seeing familiar blonde – almost white – hair.

_Rosto?_ She has to blink a few times, but he is gone before she can get a clear look at him.

_**Rosto?!**_

Kora walks in to the inn – the Dancing Dove – to hear Aniki saying to Beka, "Some cove has been entering folks' houses and leaving presents in their homes."

"What kind of presents?" she hears Beka reply.

Aniki props her chin on her hand, spying Kora and waving her over, "Just little things – like you'd expect from people for Midwinter, you know in the gift-giving spirit. The interesting thing is, they're not breaking in and taking anything, just leaving little trinkets and things like that for the children. It's almost like someone is setting themselves up to be some kind of fairytale figure, like the people children would talk about in their dreams."

"Did they mention anything about seeing anyone in colour?" Kora asks.

"A mot mentioned red thread."

"I thought I saw someone who looked like Rosto running through the Lower City in a red suit and hat."

Aniki laughed. "Rosto? He's a strange one, but I doubt it'd be him."

Kora wrinkled her nose. "Wouldn't put it past him, to be honest..."


	2. two

The merriest time for the Court of the Rogue was definitely that of Midwinter. The rest of Corus was in a joyous spirit and the Lower City was no exception. Of course, there were children who went without because their parents couldn't afford gifts – everything else went into paying for the food, for the roofs over their heads – but the rest of the time for them was merry.

Kora and Aniki had been discussing the merits of having a person deliver presents to the families in the Lower City who couldn't afford to give their loved ones anything. Fuzzball, Laddybuck and the other cats adopted by Kora and their household, twirled around their feet, mewing for their supper.

"I love you, but, please, go catch a mouse," Kora told the cats, pointing out the door.

Aniki rested her chin on her palm, watching Fuzzball and the other cats follow Laddybuck out the door, tails up in the air and furry behinds swinging as if they were in a conga line. "Even the cats are celebrating Midwinter."

"The Lower City families need a bit of cheer. It's been a hard year, what with the harvest not being as best as could be."

"You could wash everyone's laundry for free. That'd cheer them all up."

Kora slanted her eyes towards Aniki. "So would my setting your hair on fire and sending you running naked through the streets."

"That'd scare the children."

Kora grinned widely. "No more than anything else they've seen in their lives. Parents around here are pretty open about their activities... wouldn't surprise me if the kids had heard 'em at it."

"You should try that on Rosto."

Kora considered that for a moment before laughing at Aniki's folly. "I think I'd rather have my teeth pulled out painfully, one by one, than face Rosto with his hair on fire by my doing."


End file.
